Panorama investigation exposes culture of racism, Islamophobia and misogyny in the Met Police

Yesterday (1st October 2025), BBC Panorama released footage taken by an undercover journalist working in the Met Police’s Charing Cross station.

In 2022, the Independent Office for Police Conduct published damning findings about officers in this station as part of Operation Hotton. These latest revelations of racism, Islamophobia and misogyny show that very little has changed in the force.

Police officers hold a particular position of power and authority over the public. Recent years have exposed the scale of abuse of this power to harm women and girls. Last night’s Panorama investigation exposed that despite some efforts to address this, there remains a long way to go.

We are appalled by footage showing a rape and domestic abuse victim being disbelieved by a male sergeant and the suspect released, despite a female officer’s attempts to challenge this decision. It is abundantly clear that there remains a deeply rooted culture of institutional racism, misogyny and Islamophobia within the Met, which the force has yet to properly address.

We are clear that the footage captured is just a snapshot of what is happening in forces across the country, and that transparency, accountability and culture change is urgently needed. Changing the culture of policing means creating an environment in which victims and whistleblowers feel safe to report misconduct and abuse, and that officers who dismiss, blame or abuse those they have a duty to protect face meaningful consequences rather than impunity.